The present invention generally relates to a hinged sample mount for use in focused ion beam (FIB) tools that allows the user to position a sample horizontally (for routine sample preparation with the FIB) or vertically in order to use the FIB's ion beam to sputter-deposit any desired material from a sputter target onto the sample.
Conventionally, focused ion beam (FIB) tools are used to perform a single type of processing. FIB tools can be used during sample preparation, for example to remove material, etc. Alternatively, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,850 (which is incorporated herein by reference) an FIB tool can be used to sputter away material from a sample. However, conventional devices cannot perform sample preparation and sputtering within a single vacuum container using the same focused ion beam tool. To the contrary, conventional systems require that the sample preparation and sputtering processes be performed using different tools (which necessitates breaking vacuum and exposing the sample to potentially corrosive airborne reagents). The invention described below provides a novel system whereby the preparation and sputtering can be performed within the same focused ion beam tool without breaking vacuum.
Focused Ion-Beam (FIB) tools remove material from a sample by mechanical sputtering with an energetic ion beam, typically gallium (Ga). The Ga ion beam can also be used to perform depositions by flooding the sample with vapors of metal-containing compounds. In this case, the Ga ion beam provides the energy necessary to decompose the metal-compound, leaving the metal on the surface of those areas exposed to the beam. The metal films deposited in this way incorporate many impurities and may exhibit significant electrical resistivity. Additionally, the user has no flexibility in what metal may be deposited. If the user needs to deposit a pure film or a specific metal over a FIB-processed site, the only option has been to remove the sample from the FIB and perform the deposition in a dedicated deposition tool, exposing potentially sensitive surface to atmospheric contaminants. The invention described below provides a novel system in which a sample can be processed with the FIB in the conventional way, and then repositioned in the FIB (without breaking vacuum) to allow a subsequent sputter deposition step of any desired material.